Salvation Army Florida Dispatches Mobile Canteens to North Carolina for Hurricane Irene

Lutz, FL (August 26, 2011)– Nine Salvation Army mobile canteens (kitchens on wheels) from Florida will travel to North Carolina early Saturday morning to help assist with Hurricane Irene.

The teams from Florida (Orlando, Tallahassee, Citrus County, Clay County, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Panama City, Jacksonville and Titusville) will stage in Charlotte until the storm passes. Once Irene passes, canteens could be assigned to North Carolina, Virginia or Maryland.

Along with the mobile feeding units, a Salvation Army satellite communications truck will travel from Tampa to Charlotte tonight or early Saturday morning.The Salvation Army of Florida field kitchen – capable of feeding up to 20,000 meals a day – is also on stand-by to travel to North Carolina.

“Without question teams from across Florida have stepped up to help others,” said Kevin Smith, emergency disaster services director for The Salvation Army of Florida. “I just can’t tell you how proud I am of our volunteers and teams who were only given hours notice to dedicate up to 14 days to help others.”

Once damage reports have been received and local needs have been determined, disaster teams will serve throughout the impacted region. In the short-term aftermath of the storm, Salvation Army pastors and staff will focus primarily on immediate needs providing food, hydration, and emotional and spiritual care to impacted individuals and families.The best way to help survivors and relief workers is to make a financial contribution. Monetary donations allow disaster responders to immediately meet the specific needs of disaster survivors.

The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Ireneto visit www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769). Donors may also contribute $10 via their phone bill by text messaging the word “Storm” to 80888, and confirming the donation with the word, “Yes.” Checks may be made out to The Salvation Army Disaster Relief, PO BOX 1959 Atlanta, GA 30301. Designate “2011 Hurricane Season” on all checks.

A $10 donation feeds a disaster survivor for one day

A $30 donation provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies

A $100 donation can serve snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster

A $250 donation can provide one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours

A $500 donation keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day

At this point, in-kind donations are not being accepted. Used clothing and used furniture are seldom required during an incident. However, these gifts are vitally important in supporting the day-to-day work of your local Salvation Army. Please consider giving these items to your local Salvation Army Family Store or dial 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825).

The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.